1. Technical Field
Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to the manufacture and construction of packaging materials.
2. The Relevant Technology
Numerous devices are used in the corrugated board industry to convert a cut-out blank into a corrugated box. Some of these devices are able to cut, crease, fold and/or glue corrugated blanks in order to create a box. The gluer is often grouped as one in a series of machines operating to convert paperboard blanks, one-by-one, into boxes. The gluer ordinarily receives a folded blank with four side-by-side panels that are separated from one another by longitudinal creases and slots. Each of the panels also includes opposing flaps that can be folded to form the top and bottom of the box. Additionally, one of the panels also includes a glue tab. The gluer applies glue to the glue tab and/or and adjacent panel and presses the glue tab against the adjacent panel, thereby creating a box with four connected sides.
Typical gluers are relatively large, complex machines. These machines often have conveyer belts for advancing the corrugated blanks through the machine. Typical gluers also include glue applicators that may be mechanically driven along a portion of the corrugated blank in order to apply glue to the glue tab. Additionally, many gluers include means for applying pressure to the glue tab, such as a pneumatic arm, in order to bond the glue to the glue tab and the adjacent panel. Because of the complex nature of typical gluing devices and the need to ensure proper timing of the glue dispenser and the other moving parts, gluers often have computers or other electronics that control the operation of the various parts of the machine to prevent the moving parts from colliding with one another. For example, the computer or other electronics may coordinate the timing and control the operation of one or more pneumatic arms for folding the box blank, a glue applicator for applying glue to the box blanks, and a compression device for applying pressure to the glued portions of the box blank, such that none of these components interferes with the others. The complex nature of these gluers, with the numerous moving parts and electronics, increases the cost of the machines as well as often requiring significant maintenance and operating expenses.
In addition to their relatively complex nature, typical gluers are often very large. A corrugated blank that is glued with a typical gluer is usually folded such that the glue flap extends down the middle of the corrugated blank. Gluers are therefore made with a large C-shaped frame. The bottom portion of the frame supports the corrugated blank during the gluing process. The top portion of the frame, which includes the glue applicator, extends over the top of the corrugated blank so as to be able to reach the glue flap in the middle of the corrugated blank. For larger sized corrugated blanks, gluers with even larger sized frames are needed. These large gluing machines can occupy valuable space in a manufacturing or other type of facility.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.